Putra Bakti: Outreach Physics programme is to rid of perception that Physics is tough, boring

By:
Noor Eszereen Juferi

TELUK INTAN - Universiti
Putra Malaysia (UPM) via its team “Putra Bakti: Outreach Physics” recently held
a ‘Putra Outreach Physics Tour’ Series 8 programme which was participated by 112
secondary Form Five students of Sekolah Menengah Sains Teluk Intan (SEMESTI).

This transfer of knowledge and expertise-based
programme was led by senior lecturer of Physics Department, Faculty of Science,
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Dr. Yap Wing Fen, and involved 34 members of UPM’s
Undergraduates Physics Club who acted as programme facilitators.

Dr. Yap said most science stream students of secondary
schools had the perceptions that learning Physics was difficult, tedious and
boring.

He said the main objective of the programme was to
prove that such perceptions were baseless and that students were capable of
mastering Physics without having to do lots of memorization.

"The programme, themed Transfer, Transverse,
Transform, adopts an approach that provides an opportunity for participants to
witness and experience for themselves the Physics concept closely which is very
much related to daily life.

"The concept and activities are planned in such a
way that they will fit with the syllabus of Physics subject in Sijil Pelajaran
Malaysia (SPM). For better understanding of Physics, fun and entertaining
methods such as singing, hands-on activities and murder case investigation
simulations are used in this programme,” he said.

The three-day two-night’s programme was able to
inculcate interest in Physics, in addition to transferring additional new
knowledge to students to be applied in their daily lives.

Dean of Science Faculty, Prof. Dr. Zainal Abidin Talib
said the activities planned by Putra Bakti: Outreach Physics were based on
higher order thinking skills.

"This program can motivate and foster volunteerism
among the students and make them to be more sensitive and concerned with the
environment. The university strongly supports and encourages students to
organize activities such as volunteerism so that they can contribute their services
and display dedication and commitment to the community through knowledge transfer
and transformation," he said.

President of UPM Undergraduates’ Physics Club, Fida'i
Rahmat said he was thrilled at the opportunity of being involved as a
facilitator as he could apply what he had learned to the students.

"I am also able to help students understand the
concept of Physics properly, thus fostering an interest for this subject. I
feel very happy and excited to be able to contribute something to society,
"he said.

Participant Nur Amin, aged 17, said the hands-on
methods of learning and student-friendly facilitators had succeeded in changing
her perception towards Physics which she considered difficult all this while.

“Such a programme has proven that Physics is actually
lively, not something that gets you stuck and become rigid in the classroom. I am now able to relate many natural phenomena
which I observe everyday to Physics,” she added.

Her
friend, Hafizul Hilmi, 17, described the programme as lively and interesting,
saying that it could boost one’s thinking skills and interest for Physics.

“The
slot on murder case investigation is particularly interesting as it enables
students to think out of the box and make them realized that Physics is,
indeed, very immportant in their daily life,” he said.– UPM